“THE WOMAN IN GREY.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20278, 12 April 1934, Page 3

“THE WOMAN IN GREY.”

Many Auckland Thefts Cleared Up. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, April 12. Since last August the Auckland police have had many complaints of thefts from offices by a person invariably described as a woman in a grey coat. Last Tuesda3 r they located her, and in the Police Court to-day Jessie Russell, 29, a knitter, unmarried, ad mitted eleven charges of t-ljeft of hand bags, money’, jewellery and cheques, to a total value cf £lOl 14s. The police said that the money' was stolen in amounts ranging from 7s to £lB 18s, and included an amount ot £l7, the life savings of a charwoman. Accused’s method was to loiter about offices, slip through an open door ana steal from handbags, or even steal from safes. * For the defence it was stated that the woman had been partty unemployed and had spent the money. Her relatives would repay* the charwoman After fervent appeads from two counsel, the Magistrate, Mr F. K. Hunt, S. M., granted accused three years probation, on strict conditions.